


Tiny

by Author_Person



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Crack Treated Seriously, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Severitus, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:14:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29802765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Author_Person/pseuds/Author_Person
Summary: Harry accidentally discovers a way to escape the Dursley’s.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Comments: 31
Kudos: 160





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer  
> Don’t own the characters, not making money. 
> 
> Content Warning  
> Contains: Underage sex (eventually.) and naughty language.

He follows his aunt nervously as she walks around the store, trying not to get too close to her, she hates that, but also trying not to let her get too far away, she hates that too. He’s carrying an armful of things for her and that’s also making him nervous, if he drops something his aunt will be furious. He doesn’t want to be locked in the cupboard for days again. He only just got out yesterday. His aunt gets impatient and starts moving through the store faster. He does his best to keep up, but his legs are so much shorter, and he can’t remember the last time he ate something, so he falls behind. She stops and collects another item, then turns to hand it to him, only to discover how far away he is. He cringes and hurries over as fast as he can, apologizing again and again. She narrows her eyes dangerously and he shuts up at once. He bites his lip and tries not to panic. It’s fine. It’ll just mean a few more days in the cupboard. It could be worse, at least it isn’t his uncle who’s annoyed with him.

~~~~~~

They get back to number four and he helps put things away, in the cabinets he can reach anyway, then immediately goes to the cupboard without being told. Hoping that will help lessen his punishment. It doesn’t. Four days later he’s staring up at the stairs above him and wondering what it would be like to be someone or something else. He remembers the picture he saw in school of an elephant. He’d love to be something like that. No one could tell him what to do if he was an elephant. He wishes it wasn’t summer, wishes he could go back to school, wishes someone would care that it’s his birthday. It’s not everyday that you turn six. He sighs.

He gets tired of staring at the ceiling, he’s only been doing it for a few hours, but it wasn’t exactly interesting when he started. Even with the spiders roaming around. He sits up and closes his eyes, imagining what it would be like to be an elephant. There’s a tingling sensation in his limbs and for a moment he could almost swear he felt his nose growing, but he’s shaken out of his thoughts by the front door slamming. He hopes his uncle had a good day at work and that he won’t take his anger out on him if he didn’t. He hears him stomp into the kitchen and breathes a sigh of relief. He’s safe, for now at least.

He goes back to imagining himself as an elephant because he has nothing better to do. The same tingling sensation starts up and he focuses on that for a long time. He’s paying so much attention to that that he loses track of his surroundings and when the cupboard door is wrenched open the noise and sudden flood of light shocks him into action. But not any action he’s ever taken before, or knows how to describe. His body changes. His nose grows impossibly long and he suddenly finds himself so large the walls of the cupboard and the stairs above him shatter. He cries out in shock, making a noise like an elephant and thinks, shit. He’s just able to make out, through his oddly changed vision, his uncle clutching his chest. He watches, feeling numb, as the man falls to the ground, his aunt shrieking from the doorway to the kitchen. He takes a few tentative steps toward the front door, ignoring his aunt’s continued shrieks, then he begins moving more confidently. He moves toward his aunt, enjoying the way she cringes away from him for once. He flexes his trunk experimentally then, once he’s sure he knows how, he picks her up and tosses her across the room. He almost feels bad when she hits the wall a bit harder than he’d planned but he shrugs it off. He has nothing to feel sorry for.

He leaves, having to break his way out of the too small doorway. He’s a bit sad Dudley isn’t here for him to toss around as well, but he shrugs that off too, the important thing is getting away from this place and never returning.

~~~~~~

He makes it farther than he thought he would before the authorities collect him and bring him to the local zoo. He’s put in a too small pen, but he’s given food and care, the workers seem to adore him, and he has all the sunlight he could want. The zoo is a very busy place, although most of the people seem to be visiting specifically to see the mystery elephant. Everyone exclaiming over the fact that no one knows where he came from. Elephants don’t usually get smuggled into a country, they’re just too big for that.

They call him Tiny and he thinks they’re being sarcastic or maybe it’s because he is still small for an elephant, but no. They actually named him Tiny. He sighs, but he supposes it’s better than being called freak. He does his best to show the workers how much he appreciates them by being as affectionate as he can, and he tries to be entertaining for the visitors. It seems to work well enough.

He has a few people who he’s noticed visit almost every day. There’s an old man with a beard that stretches almost down to his knees. He wears clothes that are extremely odd, brightly colored robes and things, the weirdest part is that no one else seems to notice. The man keeps pointing a little stick at him, for some reason. He doesn’t understand it, but with the way the man dresses...he can’t help but wonder if he isn’t a little bit mad.

Sometimes he has an older woman with him, she always seems angry with the man, whispering harshly to him about having told him something. Harry doesn’t understand that but it doesn’t really matter anyway. The important thing is that he’s heard talk of them moving him to another zoo with more space, and more elephants. He isn’t sure how he feels about that. He likes it here, and he barely knows how to act around _people_ , he doesn’t know the first thing about interacting with elephants. He has a feeling it won’t go well.

The man begins visiting with another man instead of the woman, and this man looks furious. Harry gets the feeling the man hates him, and he can’t understand that because they’ve never even met before. And who hates an elephant anyway? But then he just manages to catch the man’s vicious whisper to the old man.

“This is your fault, Albus. If you would only take it seriously when someone is being abused, but you never do. How many times have others brought you cases of abuse and how many did you act on? This is why I always handle it myself. Because you cannot be trusted. I do not know what happened to convince you utterly that families belong together no matter their actions but you are _wrong_. And it has cost us our supposed savior, but more than that it has cost Lily’s son a proper childhood.”

Harry blinks at the man’s fury. He wonders who Lily is. He brushes it off, it’s not like it concerns him. He pulls another mouthful up with his nose and shoves it in his mouth. He stills feel weird doing it even after all these weeks.

~~~~~~

He’s transferred to the larger zoo, and loves it. The new elephants are friendly, there’s so much space to run around, and the crowds are even larger. He’s found a new obsession with people watching. He finds it amusing trying to pick the repeat visitors out of the crowd. Sometimes he thinks he’s spotted someone familiar only to realize it’s simply someone new wearing the same style of hat. It amuses him.

He’s been people watching for a while that day but he realizes he’s hungry, elephants eat a _lot_ each day. He turns away from the fence to go get something to eat and blinks. The angry man is within his enclosure. The man holds up his hands in a placating manner.

“Harry, please, listen to me. I was a friend of your mother’s.”

He backs up a step. How does he know? The man doesn’t move closer or lower his hands. He takes a hesitant step forward, he doesn’t even know why he’s so nervous, even if the man knows it’s not like he can hurt him. He reaches out slowly with his trunk and pokes the man in the chest with it. The man smirks and then chuckles.

“I assume you wish for me to explain. We grew up together your mother and I. We were very close when we were young, but we grew apart when we got older. By the time she...died, I was no longer counted amongst her friends. Nevertheless there is nothing I would not do for you, to protect you, to ensure your happiness. But I would be able to do that much easier if you would allow yourself to be changed back into your human form.”

He backs up a step, shaking his head frantically, making his ears flap. The man nods his head.

“I understand why you fear that idea. I myself was also mistreated by those who ought to have protected me. I have sworn on my magic, and will gladly do so again, to protect you from all who would harm you. You have nothing to fear from me Harry.”

He doesn’t want to believe it, he doesn’t believe it, but at the same time he also _does_. He moves closer once again and taps his trunk against the man’s chest, twice this time. The man looks confused for a moment.

“I don’t know what you...you wish to know who I am? My name is Severus Snape, I teach potions, although I hate it. Please, Harry, may I attempt to change you back?”

He nods very slowly, then watches suspiciously as the man slowly retrieves a stick from inside his sleeve then points it at him. He whispers something and Harry cries out as his body changes. A moment later he’s sitting on the ground and panting, panicking a little. The man kneels in front of him.

“Here, drink this, it’ll help.”

He chokes down the gross tasting liquid and his heart slows gradually to a more reasonable rate. He works his jaw for a moment, he hardly knows how to speak anymore, then asks.

“Home?”

“Mm, I am going to take you home, and tomorrow...I will make you mine. I have a friend forging the necessary adoption papers as we speak.”

He smiles hesitantly up at the man...Severus, he can’t keep thinking of him as the angry man, and receives a small smile in return.


	2. Chapter 2

He follows Severus into the man’s home. Considering the drab exterior he isn’t expecting much, but the whole living room is a library and he finds himself smiling at the sight. Severus has him sit on the couch and pulls out the stick again, then crouches down to look him in the eye.

“I would like to use a diagnostic spell to ensure you are healthy, there have been several known cases where individuals spent extended periods in their animagus, or animal form, and in some cases it negatively affected their health. You may need potions to correct the damage.”

He’s not sure he understood all of that, but he nods anyway. He trusts the man enough for this at least. The man waves the stick and says some words in another language and glowing symbols appear in the air surrounding him. He can’t tell anything from it but Severus obviously can, and it isn’t good news.

“Am I sick?”

“No. You are malnourished, and it began before you transformed yourself into an elephant. We knew you had been abused but...did not realize the full extent. I have potions which will bring you to a proper state of nourishment. I am sorry that that happened to you, Harry. If I had known before...”

He nods. He thinks the man means it. Severus stands and stalks out of the room. Harry smiles, the man always seems to be angry, but since he’s only ever seen him angry at other people it doesn’t bother him. Not like it did whenever his aunt or uncle were angry.

Severus soon returns with some small glass bottles which must contain potions.

“You can’t take some of these on an empty stomach. Are you hungry? If not you may take them later, the situation is not so dire that you must force yourself to eat simply so that you may take them now.”

He shrugs, he is hungry but...he’s not used to being able to ask for food, at least not while human. He begged the zoo workers for fruit and things all the time.

Severus gives him another angry look. Muttering under his breath.

“If they weren’t already dead...”

“They died? How?”

The man grimaces before answering.

“I’m not sure I should tell you, but I do not wish to lie to you either. Your uncle died of a coronary, and your aunt...when you threw her against the wall she hit her head on a shelf and...she died. It was, I assume, an accident and even if it wasn’t considering the way they treated you...you are _not_ to blame yourself, Harry.”

The man sounds so stern about it that he nods automatically, but then...

“No. Do not blame yourself. When it comes to magical children who have been abused, it is _extremely_ common for their magic to lash out and protect them by killing their abusers. It was almost a certainty that they would eventually have died for their actions either way.”

“Dudley?”

“Is living with a Margery Dursley. Do you know her?”

He nods, feeling sick at the reminder. Severus gives him a concerned look.

“What is it?”

He makes a face.

“She’s horrible. She calls me names and she has a dog, he’s mean and he scares me. I don’t like her. But Dudley does and she likes him so, he’ll be fine. Which is good. Can we...eat something?”

The man nods and leads him to the kitchen, he asks what he wants but Harry just shrugs. He’s not used to having to make choices. The man glares again but then his face softens.

“I am not angry at you, in case that is unclear, if I am angered by anything you do I will be sure to let you know. I am generally quick to anger but I shall try to be patient with you, I hope you shall do the same with me. Now perhaps you shall do better with a simpler choice. I shall cook some chicken for lunch and you may decide what vegetable we eat.”

The man points him toward a door. He walks over and opens it, expecting it to lead to a small pantry, but it’s massive. He blinks at it for a moment, then asks.

“Magic?”

“Mm, a most impressive bit of magic indeed. The vegetables are toward the left.”

He wanders in that direction and collects some, then brings them to Severus who gives him an unimpressed look, as if he knows he didn’t actually think about which to choose. He didn’t. He just smiles and Severus smirks in response.

“I will teach you to value your own opinion and to never fear expressing those opinions also. Eventually. For now it is enough that you are safe.”

He pulls up a chair beside the man and begins helping him to prepare lunch. Severus sighs.

“They made you help prepare meals?”

He nods.

“I never liked cooking for them, they didn’t care and they usually wouldn’t let me have any. But I want to help you. You don’t mind?”

Severus shakes his head sharply while grumbling under his breath. He smiles at the man since he knows he’s still angry at the Dursleys and not him. He doesn’t blame the man, he’s still angry too, and a little bit hurt.

While they’re making lunch Severus tells him about the old man with the colorful, robes, is what they’re apparently called, who’s his boss.

“Won’t you get in trouble when he finds out what you’re doing?”

He doesn’t understand why the man would risk it.

“Albus is a good man in a lot of ways, but he’s never understood the risk families pose. He thinks it’s always best to keep families together no matter what the situation is like. I have been going behind his back to deal with similar situations since my first year in his employ, he knows, but for several reasons he has always tolerated my actions. One of those reasons, the most important one, will no longer exist once I have adopted you. However I don’t believe he shall object to my actions. Not openly at any rate. Not with the backlash he’s facing from the ministry. Minerva, the woman who visited the zoo with him, went public with the information of what he had done and...let’s just say he’ll be lucky if he keeps his place as headmaster.”

He supposes that makes sense. Most parents wouldn’t want their kids to be taught by someone who didn’t care if they were safe or not. Still.

“Are you sure..?”

Severus cuts him off, sounding stern.

“The absolute worst thing that could happen to me is that I would lose my job. Which would be no hardship I assure you. I would simply brew potions for a living, I might quit regardless. You aren’t yet of Hogwarts age and my days are long. I wouldn’t want to neglect you.”

Oh. He gulps around the lump in his throat. He can’t believe the man would consider changing jobs just for him. He blinks a few times rapidly, trying not to cry. He wishes his hands were clean so he could hug the man, although he’s not sure Severus would want him to.

Severus looks hesitant for a moment but then runs a hand through his hair. And he finds himself crying anyway. The man pulls him into a hug, rubbing his back and making soothing noises.

“It’s alright, Harry. You’re going to be alright. No one will ever hurt you again while I still breathe air.”

The man sounds so vicious. It makes him smile. He hugs him back for a long moment, then pulls away and wipes his face.

“Thank you.”

“You never have to thank me, Harry. Not for taking you in, or for an act of kindness. You are going to be my son. While it never hurts to be polite, and I would not wish to discourage you from that, you don’t _need_ to thank me for anything I do for you. Understood?”

He nods slowly. He thinks he does. Dudley never thanked anyone for anything, and some of the other kids at school wouldn’t bother thanking the teacher for helping them, although _he_ always did. He thinks maybe it’s like that.

“It’s about responsibility?”

“Precisely. I am responsible for you in every way. Your emotional, mental, and physical health are all my concern. You needn’t thank me for fulfilling my duty.”

He nods, but it still feels odd. He’s not used to having anyone be concerned about him. He suspects he’s going to be thanking the man for everything for a long time anyway.

They finish making lunch, Severus telling him stories about Hogwarts. It sounds amazing, but also a little intimidating. He shudders at the idea of what Dudley would’ve been like if he could use curses and jinxes on him.

After, they eat in companionable silence. He loves it here already.

Then he takes his potions. Which are horrible, but medicine isn’t supposed to taste good. Severus hands him a glass of milk after.

“It’ll help wash away the taste.”

He drinks that as well, after thanking the man, who doesn’t seem annoyed by it. Which is a relief. He tried to make himself not thank him, but the idea of not showing how very grateful he is...unthinkable. He couldn’t do it. He doesn’t understand how Dudley could take all of this for granted. Having a home and a parent, being given food and medicine. He’s more grateful than he knows how to express. So he hugs Severus again. Severus hugs him back, once again combing his fingers through his hair, which feels amazing. He looks up at the man and admits.

“I’m glad you came for me.”

Severus smiles, just slightly.

“As am I.”


	3. Chapter 3

They spend the rest of the day in the garden. Hogwarts is going to be starting back up in a few days so Severus is busy tending to his plants before he has to leave again. While they work Severus tells him stories about his mum, Lily.

In the evening after they’ve eaten dinner Severus reads to him. It’s more than he ever thought he would have, and he feels like this can’t possibly be real. As interesting as the story is he finds himself distracted again and again by the idea that he’s going to have this from now on. He’s almost overwhelmed by the idea.

~~~~~~

That night he goes to sleep in a bedroom for the first time. It feels uncomfortable in a way. He’s so used to being in cramped quarters. He did spend the last few weeks sleeping in the open as an elephant but that was different somehow.

He turns from one side to the other, again, unable to sleep because it feels wrong being in such a large room.

~~~~~~

He’s exhausted when he wakes the next morning. Severus gives him a piercing look and he admits.

“Tired. Couldn’t sleep.”

The man frowns and asks him questions until he has to admit the problem. He feels bad, he shouldn’t be uncomfortable in the lovely new room Severus has given him. He feels ungrateful.

Severus pulls him into a hug and rubs his back.

“It’s quite alright, Harry. It’s perfectly understandable that you would be uncomfortable in a new place. I have an idea that might help you to sleep but if not there are always potions. Now come, let’s get started on breakfast, hm?”

He nods shakily and they do just that.

~~~~~~

After breakfast Severus takes him to his friend’s house, which is huge and a little intimidating. He doesn’t feel like he should be allowed inside a place this nice, but he doesn’t say anything.

He’s introduced to the man’s friends. He’s not sure if he likes Lucius, the man seems a bit distant, but Narcissa seems lovely.

“We have a son about the same age as you but we didn’t want you to be overwhelmed today so he’s at a friend’s house. He can’t wait to meet you.”

He nods happily. He realizes he might just be able to have friends now that Dudley isn’t around to scare them off.

Lucius leads them to his study and Harry watches a bit disbelievingly as Severus signs some papers and suddenly Harry has a...dad. He can’t see himself calling the man that though. Severus smirks at the look on his face.

“You may of course continue calling me Severus if you prefer. Now there’s one more matter we may need to take care of. But first I need to ask you a question.”

He listens as Severus explains something called a blood adoption. Apparently it’ll make him really his son, well, more than he is already anyway. He frowns up at the man.

“I’ll look different after?”

Severus nods seriously. He thinks about that for a bit, trying to decide how he feels about it. He doesn’t know, or remember, his actual dad so he doesn’t really care if he looks like him. He thinks he likes the idea. He nods slowly and Severus smiles.

The blood adoption is weird. They give him a potion first so it doesn’t hurt, but he can still feel his body changing. It feels weird, and gross, and he almost regrets his decision, but it’s over pretty quickly. Severus looks so pleased after that it makes him happy that he agreed.

Severus hands him a mirror, that he made out of magic, which he’s still not used to the idea of, and he stares at himself. He looks...different. He’s not sure how to describe it really. His eyes are a darker green and his hair is less messy, but he can’t quite pinpoint what else has changed, other than everything. He’s glad he doesn’t need to wear glasses anymore, but he’s not sure how he feels about the other changes yet.

He glances up at Severus to find the man giving him a worried look. He smiles reassuringly and Severus gives him a soft look. Lucius clears his throat and they both turn to look at him. The man smiles and Harry decides he might like him after all, he seems much nicer when he smiles.

“We should get that shopping trip over with before Dumbledore is notified of the change in guardianship. There’s always the risk he’ll attempt some foolishness. Besides which we do not want to be late getting back for lunch. You know how Narcissa can be.”

He glances at Severus when he hears the man laugh.

“Indeed.”

He wonders what that’s about as they leave the manor. He almost trips going down the front steps and he isn’t sure why at first. Severus gives him a piercing look and then smiles.

“You’ve grown slightly taller. You’ll need to be careful for a few days while you adjust to your new limbs.”

He looks down at himself in shock. He can’t see a difference at first but then realizes his trousers are a bit too short now. Magic is so weird.

He walks more carefully for a bit, giving Severus a bright smile when he realizes the man is watching him to ensure he doesn’t fall.

~~~~~~

They take him to get new clothes, which he can’t really argue he doesn’t need, and he knows Severus wants to provide for him, but he still feels uncomfortable accepting so much. He lets them buy him clothes and he even points out the ones he likes best when they insist he choose some himself. He’s glad when they’re done and he can stop freaking out over the fact they’re spending money on him though. Or so he thought.

Severus takes him to a furniture store next and has him pick out a new bed. He tries to argue that it isn’t necessary, but Severus refuses to hear it.

“The bed you are using is in need of replacing in any case, beyond which a bed with curtains should help you to sleep more easily. You are my son now, Harry. Even if it were not my duty to provide the best for you...”

The man trails off, shaking his head, then crouches down to look him in the eye. Harry tries not to fidget.

“I want you to be happy and healthy. Both those things require you to get a good night’s sleep. Now I’m going to buy you a new bed whatever you say so you might as well give your opinion. Which one do you like best?”

He stares around at all the different ones, trying to focus on which ones he likes and not start crying again because Severus cares about him. He almost picks one at random, any of them would be wonderful, but then he sees one and goes still.

“That one.”

Severus goes to pay for it and he finds himself being scrutinized by Lucius.

“You have good taste, Harry. Narcissa is going to enjoy dragging you on her shopping trips.”

He frowns. He’s not sure he understands. Lucius clarifies.

“I avoid accompanying her so she’s forced to bring Draco if she desires company and he has terrible taste as of yet. If you wish to avoid being coerced into accompanying her you may wish to keep your own good taste secret.”

He laughs and Lucius gives him a fond smile.

Severus returns with the bed and drags him off to a store that sells linens. He almost groans aloud but he obediently picks out bedding. Lucius distracts him from his discomfort with tales of flying broomsticks.

He stares up at the man in shock.

“Why _brooms_?”

The man looks thoughtful.

“It’s traditional, although I don’t know who started the tradition, or why. I’ve never had any interest in the pastime myself so I haven’t studied the history. Other cultures use other means of flight of course. Flying carpets for example.”

That seems so weird, although he did just spend weeks as an elephant so he can’t really talk.

They finally head back to the manor without any more stops. He breathes a sigh of relief that that ordeal is over.

~~~~~~

Lunch is a bit awkward. He would’ve preferred spending it with just Severus, but he thinks he might come to enjoy spending time with the Malfoys once he gets to know them better. It’s better than any meal he ever ate with the Dursleys if nothing else.

After, they head back home and Severus switches the old bed for the new. Then encourages him to take a nap. He wants to argue he doesn’t need one, but he sits on his new bed and realizes all at once that he’s exhausted. He crawls into bed and Severus runs his hand through his hair then closes the curtains. He stares up into the starry sky on the inside of the curtains and wonders at how perfect it feels, closed in enough to feel cozy, but not so much that he feels trapped. He falls asleep without even trying to.


End file.
